CONCACAF moves 2007 Gold Cup ahead to June

The 12-team event will be staged June 6-24 in as yet undisclosed venues across the United States, CONCACAF announced Monday. Match sites are expected to be announced in early 2006, the regional soccer body said.

This year's event was played from July 6-24. South America's Copa America, which routinely invites the CONCACAF champion, also is scheduled for 2007, but only once in the past 10 years has it started before the end of June.

The Gold Cup began in 1991 as a summer event before switching to a winter schedule in January 1996. Four editions were staged in either January or February to avoid conflicts with the Copa America, but returned to July in 2003.

Mexico has won the title four times and the United States three, including the crown earlier this year when it beat Panama on penalties in the final, AP reports.